Crown Moulding

This is the project I am most proud of so far, it took me a while to get it right (and by that I mean to get to the point that my perfectionistic personality was satisfied) but I did it and am super pleased with the result.

I used 5 1/4 inch angled moulding to get a prominent look that adds depth to the walls, rather than a moulding that lays flat on the wall. You can tell the difference by looking at the back of the moulding. If it is completely flat on the back then it lays flat on the wall. If it has a slanted edge at the top and bottom then it sits at an angle with the slanted edges sitting on the wall and ceiling. Most moulding comes in 8ft or 12ft lengths, measure each wall, the goal is to use just one piece of moulding for each wall so you don’t have to deal with seams of connecting 2 pieces of moulding. However, if you have a long wall and can’t avoid this I will show you how to create a smooth seam. I painted all of the moulding and corner blocks with white semi-gloss interior paint prior to installing it.

1. I started by attaching the corner moulding blocks to each corner using the 2 inch nails. Each block has predrilled holes so attaching them to the wall is fairly simple. Once you have secured the nail on both sides of the block, using the nail punch set (I used the smallest in the set) to countersink the nail then cover your nail hole with wood filler and allow it to dry for at least a half hour before painting or sanding.
2. Once all your corner blocks are in place, you can put up the moulding. Measure the distance between 2 blocks and cut a piece of moulding to that length. Remember the rule: Measure twice and cut once, and you can always cut off a bit more if it’s too long but you can’t fix it if it’s too short. Angle your moulding so the edges sit flush with the wall and ceiling and anchor in the center of the wall with the 1 1/2 inch nails, one nail into the wall and one into the ceiling. Do the same next to each corner block, and depending on the length of the wall, halfway between the corner and center of the wall. I personally anchored the moulding approximately every 2 feet.
3. After you’ve finished anchoring the moulding, go back with the nail punch and countersink each nail and fill the holes with wood filler like you did with the corner blocks. After the filler has dried for at least a half hour you can lightly sand it so the surface is smooth. Now you can go back with paint and touch up the nail holes.

Because this was my first attempt, I didn’t take photos of the cuts and installation as I went, however, I will post an update soon with more detailed photos of installation and cuts for seams, edges connecting with corner blocks and corner without corner blocks.